Training device for golfers



April 8, 1969 M. E. STARCK 3,437,339

TRAINING DEVICE FOR GOLFERS Filed May 24, 1966 Sheet 01'2 INVENTOR MARSH E. STARCK ATTORNEY A ril 8, 1969 M. E. STARCK TRAINING DEVICE FOR GOLFERS May 24, 1966 MARSH E STARCK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,437,339 TRAINING DEVICE FOR GOLFERS Marsh E. Starck, 6330 Neff St., Houston, Tex.

Filed May 24, 1966, Ser. No. 552,628 Int. Cl. A63b 69/36 US. Cl. 273-183 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a training device or selfimprovement aid for golfers, which is especially adapted for indicating improper movements of the head while executing a golf swing.

A large percentage of golfers do not improve their game substantially with continued practice, as they cannot see themselves swinging a golf club and therefore cannot observe their mistakes in form. This is especially true with respect to improper stance or positioning and movement of the head during execution. If the head is moved, the execution is spoiled as the golf ball is not in the same relative position to the body at the time of impact with the golf club as it was at the time of address.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-improvement aid for use by golfers in training themselves to stabilize their head while executing a golf swing.

It is a further object to provide a mechanical device including a movable pendulum, the movement of which detects movement of the golfers head while executing a golf swing.

Still other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed description and the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation illustrating the use of the training device of the invention during execution of a golf swing;

FIGURE 2 is an end view in elevation of the training device illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed side view in elevation;

FIGURE 4 is a top view;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken along the lines 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view in elevation taken along the lines 66 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a view illustrating the use of a modified form of the training device of the invention which includes means for attaching it to a head band worn by the golfer.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 through 6, the device of the invention generally designated as 10 includes a horizontally extending member 11 which is provided on its inner end 12 with a transversely extending opening 14 and on its outer end 15 with a longitudinally extending opening 16. Preferably the openings 14 and 16 extend in directions whereby vertical planes taken along the centerlines thereof form a 90 angle at their intersection.

An attaching member 17 having spaced openings 18 therein is mounted on the inner end 12 of member 11 by means of a screw 19 which is provided with a wing ice nut 20. The attaching member 17 includes a generally U-shaped portion 21 provided on the upper surface of each of the arms 22 with upwardly extending portions 24 which terminate in a pair of spaced semi-spherical raised portions 25. The arms 22 extend in the same general direction as horizontal member 11 and outward from a transversely extending member 23 having a thickness substantially greater than arms 22, and form the lower halves of the spaced pair of clamps 26. The upper halves of clamps 26 are formed by elongated members 27 which are provided with enlarged portions 28 on their inner ends for conveniently pressing downward thereon and thereby opening the jaws 39 of clamps 26 for receiving the bill 29 of the cap 30 worn by the golfer 31. The arms 22 and the members 27 are provided with aligned slots 32 and 33 respectively, for receiving the generally circular springs 34, which are cut into to form the spring ends 35 and 36. The lower surfaces of the arms 22 and the upper surfaces of the members 27 are provided with indentations 37 and 38 respectively which extend partially therethrough for receiving the ends 35 and 36 of springs 34. Thus the springs 34 urge the jaws 39 of clamps 26 into the normally closed position illustrated in the drawing. The outer ends of the arms 22 and the members 27 are provided with cooperating serrated portions 40 to aid in firmly grasping and holding to the bill 29 of cap 30. The lower surfaces of members 27 are also provided with downwardly extending portions 41 which terminate in a pair of spaced indentations 42, for receiving and cooperating with the spherical raised portions 25 on the upwardly extended portions 24. The combined length of the portions 24 and 41 is substantially greater than the thickness of arms 22 or member 23, thereby allowing the jaws 39 of clamps 26 to be opened upon pressing downward on the enlarged portions 28 of members 27.

The outer end 15 of horizontally extending member 11 is provided with pendulum 43. The pendulum 43 includes a spherical or ball like member 44 to provide additional weight and assure greater sensitivity in indicating the movements of the golfers head. The pendulum 43 is rotatably mounted on the end of member 11 by means of screw 45, which is inserted through annular opening 46 in the collar 47 and then into the opening 16. The collar 47 and the ball 44 are joined by means of a solid rod 48 and are formed integrally therewith. The collar 47 is loosely held by screw 45, thereby allowing free and easy movement of the pendulum 43 upon movement of the golfers head.

In using the above-described device 10 when the golfer 31 is wearing the cap 30, the jaws 39 of clamps 26 are opened by pressing downward on portions 28 of members 27, the bill 29 of cap 30 is inserted therebetween, and then the portions 28 are released thereby allowing the jaws 39 to close and tightly engage and hold the device 10 on the bill 29. The wing nut 20 of screw 19 is then loosened and the member 11 is adjusted so as to extend horizontally with respect to the surface on which the golfer 31 is standing when the cap 30 is in place on his head and a correct stance is assumed, as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The wing nut 20 is then tightened to thereby assure that the member 11 will remain in the adjusted horizontal position. The golfer then assumes the correct stance and executes the golf swing as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The pendulum immediately registers or indicates any undesirable movement of the golfers head during the golf swing, and the golfer is able to see the movement of the pendulum as it is located immediately in his field of view. The use of the solid rod 48 and the manner in which it is mounted assure that the ball 44 of pendulum 43 will move only through a predetermined path which is sufficiently removed from the golfers face so that he is not struck thereby, and whereby the ball 44 is always clearly within view.

The modified training device generally designated as 49 in FIGURE 7 is very similar in construction and operation to the modification illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 6. The horizontal member 50 is provided with a vertical slot 51 on its inner end for receiving the outer end of member 52. The outer end of member 52 and the inner end of member 50 in the vicinity of slot 51 are provided with openings 59 therethrough for receiving screw 53 which is provided with wing nut 54. The outer end of member 52 is attached to headband 55, which is worn by the golfer 56. The outer end of member 50 has a pendulum 57 mounted thereon by means of screw 58, which are of the same general construction as described above for FIGURES 1 through 6.

The general construction and operation of the device 49 is the same as that described for the modification illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 6 except as otherwise noted above. For instance, in using the device 49 the golfer 56 merely adjusts the headband 55 to the position shown in FIGURE 7 thereby assuring that the pendulum 57 is in view. The horizontal member 50 is also adjusted to the horizontal position when the correct stance is assumed by loosening wing nut 54 on screw 53, making the horizontal adjustment as necessary, and then tightening wing nut 54. The golfer then proceeds as previously described to execute the golf swing and observe the pendulum to determine if there is movement of the head.

The training device described herein may be constructed of plastic, metal, wood, leather or any other suitable materials. However, it is most conveniently constructed of plastics which may be readily molded into the configurations of the various component parts.

The foregoing detailed description and the specific drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended as being limited to the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A training device for golfers for use in indicating improper movements of the head while executing a golf swing comprising a first relatively rigid elongated rod-like member having a longitudinal axis, and inner and outer ends, means for securing the inner end of said rod-like member to a golfers headpiece, said inner end including a pivot axis about which said rod-like member may be rotated in a substantially vertical plane when secured to a golfers headpiece so that said rod-like member may be substantially horizontally positioned irrespective of the position of a golfers head while executing a golf club swing, a second relatively rigid elongated rod-like member having upper and lower ends, a weight fixedly secured to the lower end of said second rod-like member so that said second rod-like member and weight form a substantially rigid unitary structure, means for securing the upper end of said second rod-like member to the outer end of said first rod-like member so that when said first rod-like member is secured to a golfers headpiece and positioned substantially horizontally, said second rod-like member and weight are only swingable relative to said first rodlike member in response to movements of a golfers head While the golfer is executing a golf club swing and said second rod-like member and weight while swinging will be clearly within the view of the golfer but not strike the golfer.

2. The training device of claim 1 wherein the first mentioned securing means includes at least one clamp for mounting the training device on the bill of a golfers cap.

3. The training device of claim 1 wherein the first mentioned securing means includes means for mounting the training device on a headband.

4. The training device of claim 1 wherein the weight on the lower end of the second rod-like member is generally spherical in shape.

5. The training device of claim 1 wherein the upper end of the second rod-like member has an annular opening therein and is mounted on the outer end of the first rod-like member by means of a third elongated member which passes through said annular opening and into the outer end of said first rod-like member whereby the second rod-like member and weight are free to move only in an are which lies in a vertical plane that forms about a degree angle with a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis of the first rod-like member, thereby preventing the second rod-like member and weight from striking the golfer.

6. The training device of claim 5 wherein the weight on the lower end of the second rod-like member is generally spherical in shape.

7. The training device of claim 6 wherein the first mentioned securing means includes at least one clamp for mounting the training device on the bill of a golfers cap.

8. The training device of claim 6 wherein the first mentioned securing means includes means for mounting the training device on a headband.

9. The training device of claim 5 wherein the third elongated member is a screw which may be loosened or tightened to control the ease with which the second rodlike member and weight swings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,459,705 6/ 1923 Bullock. 1,980,101 11/1934 Schneider. 2,838,307 6/1958 Drew 27257 3,109,654 11/1963 Comitz. 3,178,187 4/1965 Cardwell.

GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

